10 Things I Hate About Fireworks

I’ve never liked being around them. They’re loud and can cause some serious harm. Why would I want to look up to pretty, sparkly colours that are heading right for me on the ground? What if they hit me? Blind me? Kill me? For many years I had to go with the rest of the family to Hebden Bridge to watch their display. I remember one time, I hadn’t eaten my tea and was threatened with “We won’t go see the fireworks if you don’t eat it!” …unfortunately for me it was an empty threat and we still had to go. I would always sit on the damp ground to be as far away from them as possible. As I got older my fear grew in to general hatred, but I think that’s because they’re EVERYWHERE! Everyone and his neighbour are setting them off at all times of the night. I’m sick to death of them, for the following reasons:

1. Noise – if you live in a single standing house, with no neighbours, in the middle of nowhere, then that’s one thing. But people are setting them off in their gardens in the middle of housing estates, surrounded by houses very close by. It’s a noise nuisance. I don’t want to be hearing bang, bang, BANG when I’m trying to relax in my own home or trying to concentrate on my writing or university studies.

2. Animals – whether they’re pets, farm animals or wild animals. They are petrified of the noise. My cat seems to have Unagi and doesn’t give a toss about them, but there are plenty of other animals that suffer due to the noise. They don’t understand what is going on. You can’t comfort them. It’s cruel to put them through it!

3. Dangerous – anyone who buys fireworks are buying dangerous weapons, and the fact they are sold to the public is a terrifying thought. There are people out there who try to build bombs in their own home for acts of terrorism. The government agencies have been good at finding them out over the years just in time. If they’re seen to be researching/buying bomb making equipment then they have broken the law…but there is no problem nipping to the shops and buying legal gunpowder. Knock yourself out, buy all you want. Guns are illegal but buy a pretty bomb with no consequences.

4. Anyone can get hold of them – there are plenty of responsible people who will buy them. But dickheads can also get their hands on them. Twats that want to aim them at emergency services doing their jobs. Drunkards who think it’s a good idea to let them off whilst pissed. People who have no regard for general safety can let them off whenever they like, wherever they like. It’s ridiculous!

5. “It’s just one night of the year” – but… no it isn’t!! It’s at least a week around bonfire night, new years eve, new years day, weddings etc. The last 3 months of the year seem to be bonfire night for someone. So far this year for bonfire night (2018) they were going off on Friday night, Saturday night and tonight (Sunday). It’s not even bonfire night until tomorrow when they’ll be going off yet again. That’s already 4 nights of constant noise.

6. Lack of logic – there are people who let them off in their own gardens that are too small or cluttered with fire hazards. I was driving home the other night and someone was setting them off in the bottom of their garden. That makes sense, keep them away from the house. But the bottom of the garden was next to a frigging main road!! What about people walking down the pavement? What if they had blown across my windscreen (it was gale force winds at the time). Absolutely no need at all.

7. PTSD sufferers – there are plenty of people suffering from the effects of noise. Particularly those who have served in the armed forces. They now risk putting up with a neighbour letting off banging fireworks only meters away whilst going through recovery. One step forwards, ten steps back. It’s not fair.

8. Sleeping children – my 11 month old baby would sleep through the Blitz, but not all babies and children are like that. Parents can go through a lot of stress already so once bedtime rolls around, parents can relax that their shift is over. If a child is being constantly woken and disturbed by the noise it will add a hell of a lot of stress to everyone. The child that hasn’t had enough sleep followed by the parent that needs to get through another full day of parenting on lack of sleep too. It’s not fair!

9. They are EVERYWHERE – it’s next door, five doors away, three more on the estate behind us, and countless more going off in the distance. You can’t escape them!

10. Organised events – as much as I have a personal disliking towards fireworks, I believe they should only be sold to people who have a license for a public display. Organisations that can pay for stewards, security, professionals to make sure fireworks are set off safely. Australia have a complete ban on fireworks being sold to the general public and we need to adopt that law here too. They should not be sold in shops.

Yes, they are pretty. Yes, they are tradition. But they are DANGEROUS! Why is there no law against them? An age restriction means naff all in this country. We can’t stop teenagers getting hold of cigarettes and alcohol so they will have no problem getting hold of fireworks and doing what they like with them.

There are plenty of responsible folk who buy them and I am sure they will educate their children accordingly about safety. I learned a lot the other day just from watching a Fireman Sam episode with the little one. But one person will do their display for a few minutes, then the next person has theirs, and the next, and so on and so on. It’s never ending. We need to put a stop to public sale.

I’ve just come across this petition online. I’m sorry if you’re one of the responsible ones, but it has gone too far and I implore you to sign it. It is currently at 63,527 signatures.